THE SESSIONS (originally titled The Surrogate) is an independent drama film written and directed by veteran Aussie filmmaker, Ben Lewin (Georgia). It is based on the true story of Mark O'Brien, a poet paralyzed from neck down due to polio who hired a sex surrogate to lose his virginity. The film debuted at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award (U.S. Dramatic) and a U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting.

John Hawkes plays Mark O'Brien, a man in an iron lung who decides he wants to lose his virginity. After consulting with his priest (William H. Macy), he gets in touch with Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt), a professional sex surrogate.